by Sara Schoen
We had crossed off Garnet’s Ring cave already. It had already had a cave in, which blocked us from making it very far into the cave. Thankfully, David was with us, though keeping out of the caves due to his claustrophobia, to mark which caves were safe and which weren’t. Now we were in Sapphire Cave, surrounded by blue glittering gems. I caught myself looking at the walls of the cave as Emmy pressed forward. I wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but I’d leave it to her. There’s always someone with more experience, and Emmy has way more experience than me in this field.
“So I hear you met Kayla.” Her tone had a slight tingling of laughter. I’m not surprised she heard, news got around fast in this town. I was surprised she waited so long to bring it up. That had been almost a month ago. Maybe she’s one of the few who respects a person’s right to privacy.
“I didn’t really meet her. We saw each other and she didn’t seem pleased to see me.”
Emmy laughed, this time not trying to stifle it. “She’s like that with new people. Don’t let her get to you. She’s just a little attached to her brother, and Gage loves to push her buttons. Him being late is a big one for her, almost as bad as if he ignored her again.”
“I realized that. I wish I had known they were related before I brought it up to him though.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, you’re new in town. Everyone knows you, but you don’t know everyone.” She turned to smile at me before leading me down a cramped tunnel. No wonder David stayed outside. “Though if I can give my opinion…”
I sighed, knowing even if I told her I didn’t want her opinion, I’d get it anyway. “What would you say, Em?”
“Give Gage a chance. You’re being a little hard on him, don’t you think? I’ve seen you guys talk; you seem to have warmed up to him since you first moved here. Maybe you should give him a shot.”
I bit my tongue, unwilling to talk about my past with her. I didn’t want everyone to know about my life before I came to Escape. That’s why I ran. I wanted a fresh start. The townspeople would understand, but I’d also be judged and looked down on. That’s how it was every time I told someone the truth. They pitied me, and I hated pity. I just wanted to move on and be appreciated for me, not cared for because they were worried about hurting me. I sighed. Would I ever be able to escape this part of my life? Would I ever be able to fully move on?
“I guess you’re right, it’s just difficult because...” My sentence trailed off as the cave began to shake and rumble from somewhere close by. I glanced around in a panic, realizing that this could be the end. This is exactly what we didn’t want to happen. We were going to be trapped. I started to hyperventilate, panicking, but Emmy remained calm and took full control.
“Move back!” Emmy put her arm out and pushed me as she stepped back. Rocks began to fall right before my eyes and for a moment I thought we were done for. The cave continued to shake for a minute but then ceased. I turned to look at Emmy and we did a quick check of each other before determining we were okay despite the scare. Now we were just trapped behind a wall of rocks. She pulled the walkie-talkie from her belt loop and called for David.
“Yeah, I heard it Emmy. I’ve already called the park rangers and Joe says he’s on his way to clear it out. I guess that’s another cave closed off.”
“Yes, that crosses off Sapphire Cave as well.” She sounded disappointed, but recovered quickly. “Thanks, David! Don’t worry, we have water and I have snacks so we will be good for a little while. Keep me updated!”
“Why didn’t we go forward?” I asked in a meek voice, out of fear of sounding stupid, once I was sure she was done talking. I swear I have a degree, but no matter what I always feel undereducated and inexperienced, even in my own field. I sighed. Just another side effect of Wes’ abuse, always thinking less of myself. “Then we wouldn’t be trapped.”
“I used to think the same, but then I got caught in one.” Emmy turned in the minuscule light and pointed to her ankle. I kneeled, but couldn’t see anything so I turned on the mini flashlight she had given me at the wildlife center. She had a long spider web scar running around her ankle and still seemed red and puffy. “I got my foot caught and then a rock smashed right onto my foot. Twisted the damn thing in the wrong direction and hurt like hell. I had to have surgery, but it’s doing okay. I’m just more cautious now, but I wouldn’t stop researching for anything. It’s my life and I love it.” She smiled at me before sitting down and resting.
I glanced at the wall of rocks. Some light streamed through, but it wasn’t a lot. I guess we are waiting until Joe and the other park rangers get here to help us. I joined Emmy, sitting next to her and leaning on the cave wall for support.
“Now we wait.” Emmy handed me a bottle of water and a granola bar. “Hope you don’t mind sitting in the dark for a little while. Last time this happened I was trapped for over an hour. I ended up taking a nap it took so long for them to get me out.”
“No, I’m used to it,” I said absentmindedly. I was used to the darkness in my mind, actually sitting in it for once would be a nice change of pace. I leaned against the wall of the cave, letting my thoughts invade my mind.
I tried to ignore the growing feeling of isolation. No one helped me. So I saved myself. I ran away to lick my wounds. I had my heart ripped out and stomped on and all my future plans burst into flames before me, but Wes came back. Then when I didn’t take him back, I was forced to run again. He hated being told no. He said if he couldn’t have me then no one could, and so far, he had succeeded. Wes had a habit of promising things and then taking them away…but his threats were something he’d always follow through on if I stepped out of line.
I shifted against the wall, uncomfortable with my thoughts. I hadn’t realized just how toxic the relationship had been until my college health class had forced me to take an alcohol education class, which included a relationship education component. I had to sit on the computer and fight back tears about situations I had been in with Wes. The red flags had been there, but no one had said anything. No one had mentioned to me that my boyfriend shouldn’t treat me like that. They had let me live in ignorant bliss until I was just a shell of my former self. Not that I would have believed them, not at first anyway. I didn’t like the label of an abusive relationship because I had never been hit, but I had been beaten to a pulp by emotional and mental abuse.
“I can do better”, “I should have known better”, and, “It’s my fault” were the top three phrases. All to make sure the threats of physical abuse didn’t come true…Everything fell on me, everything diverted to me, and it had taken a toll on me until now. I had been moving towns so often, I didn’t know what it was like to be with people anymore, but Escape had given me that shot. I had friends here, I liked it here, and for once, I felt whole again.
Gage entered my thoughts, his laughter, the easy conversations we had, and our banter, which had really allowed me to ease into our relationship. He made it easy, he made me forget, most of all he made me feel safe again…maybe Emmy is right…what harm could giving him a chance do?
My thoughts stayed with Gage, remembering his atrociously laughable attempts to win me over. Bringing me a lunch I hated, dropping the equipment he took from me to ‘help me’, and getting caught telling Justin, who was mocking him, to back off. He’s trying, and that’s more than I can say about my old friends. I pushed those thoughts aside and rested in the silence as we sat together for about an hour until David called to tell us the park rangers were here and they were ready to dig us out. We sat as they shifted through the rocks and as they got closer helped them move some out of the way. Slowly, but surely, we were freed and led out of the cave into the light of the setting sun. My eyes burned slightly as they adjusted from the dark cave to the sun.
“You know the drill, Emmy,” David said as we emerged from the cave. “Go get checked out by the EMTs.”
“We didn’t get hurt, David. Do we have to?” David lifted an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his c
hest as a silent command to shut up and do as she was told. Emmy groaned and continued to whine about how she was fine while she trudged her way over to the ambulance.
“You too, Mia.” David pointed me toward the ambulance and I followed without a complaint. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see Gage come from behind me, but I was.
“Look who it is!” he teased, coming to stand in front of me. He was covered in dirt and dust, especially his hands. Had he helped move the rocks? I didn’t bother to hide the shock on my face. Was that part of his job or did he do it for me? “I guess I should hang around you more often. Then we can cut out the long trip up the mountain to help you if I’m already around.” He gestured for me to follow him around the ambulance. Emmy was already getting looked over, winking at me as I passed by. She pointed to Gage and gave a thumbs up before Justin moved to check for injuries, not that they’d find anything, but it was good to know they came to check on us. “Take a seat and I’ll give you a quick look over.” I obeyed and allowed him to take my blood pressure, shine a flashlight in my eyes, and everything else.
“Am I okay?” I asked after a few minutes of him starting to put everything away.
“Yeah, you’re good to go. Nothing to worry about except a spike in blood pressure, but that happens when you’re almost crushed by rocks.” He smiled, but something seemed off, he seemed nervous.
I laughed lightly, knowing he was trying to make a joke. “Thank you for coming to check on me. Though I’m sure you come to all the calls they ask you to.”
He shrugged and attempted to hide the sheepish grin on his face by cleaning up the supplies he had taken out to give me a checkup. “You could say that...or you could say I came to ask you to join me for the Fourth of July fireworks. We hold them at the lake every year. I usually help shoot them off, but this year I’m free and I have worked it out so we have the best seats in the house. I’d like to take you so I can get to know you without you being jealous of my sister.” He smiled brightly, joking with me again, before a flash of remembrance came into his brown eyes. “I should tell you, I’ll still be on duty technically just in case something happens, but I’d still like to take you with me. David said you’re first aid and CPR trained. So, we should stick together; we’d make a good team in an emergency.”
I laughed. I’ll give him credit; he doesn’t give up. He’s like my dog when I used to give him bones from the butcher shop. I took a deep breath to calm the growing nerves in the pit of my stomach. I thought of Emmy and Dr. Lee’s question…What could it hurt to give him a chance? Besides me? I mentally shook myself. Just try. He dug through rocks for you. It’s worth the risk. I pretended to think it over for a moment so I could watch him squirm a little bit. His smile began to falter, probably wondering if I was going to turn him down again. I decided to let him off easy. “Well, I guess it’s the least I can do since you came to my rescue again today.”
His smile brightened once again, and he got up as fast as he could. It’s like he thought I’d change my mind and wanted to get out of here before I could. “Great! I’ll come by your house about an hour before the fireworks start.” He gave me a curt wave before exiting the back of the ambulance as quickly as possible. I wasn’t going to change my mind, but it was nice to see he was worried that I would.
Maybe he is different after all. I guess I should just leap in head first to find out. No matter how much I think it will come back to bite me in the ass.
Chapter 8
Gage showed up at my cabin as promised. I didn’t know how close he lived until he pointed out his house heading toward the campground. He’s the last house on Campground Place, hidden in the trees. How fitting for someone looking to ‘get away from it all’ when he finished a shift. He wouldn’t be seen between the trees. I passed it every day I went to the wellness camp and didn’t even know. He explained he liked being near the trees so he could go shooting whenever he wanted. We talked idly as we walked over Riverwalk Bridge toward the field where everyone was getting set up for the fireworks. Gage promised it would be quite the show once it started; someone named Deacon always made sure of that.
When we came to the seating area, I was surprised by all the people. I knew the town had filled out significantly since summer started, but now I could see just how much. There’s hundreds of people here, way more than the usual ten or so I’m used to seeing. I glanced around to see there was practically nowhere to sit and it was still too early for the fireworks to begin. “Looks like everyone has the same seats we do. What happened to us having the best seats in the house?” I teased, smiling at him so he knew I wasn’t serious.
His laugh was easy and relaxed. “We still have the best seats. We’ll be watching from the water. I convinced Kelsey to let us borrow a canoe, but it’s behind the wildlife center.” He held his elbow out for me to take so he could lead the way. I took it after a moment of hesitation and followed him to the canoe. “Emmy also let me know you get a little angry when you haven’t eaten so I brought snacks and some wine.” He nudged me slightly as we walked, making me laugh and ease a little more into our conversation. It was surprising how fast he managed to find a place in my life. I had tried to push him out, but his persistence made that impossible. He had a way of relaxing me just by being around, and for the first time I didn’t feel worried about what was to come next or guilt tripping myself while spending time with him.
Gage led the way and found the canoe hidden under the observation deck. No wonder I hadn’t seen it at work today. Kelsey sure knew how to hide it. He pulled it out and placed it next to the lake before producing two life jackets from inside the canoe. “I’m sure you know, safety first.” He held open the life jacket so I could get in easily, and then turned me around to help me strap it together. My cheeks turned hot from how close he was. Though he didn’t seem to notice because he went to put on his own life jacket.
I felt fat in a life jacket, always had. It seemed too puffy, tight, and annoying due to how it rubbed against my skin. Frankly, they were uncomfortable to wear even though I knew the importance of having one; I hated them.
“You know, if I’m honest, you rock a life jacket better than I ever thought possible.” His eyes sparkled when he smiled at me. I looked away, blushing, while he put on his life jacket and then pushed the canoe into the lake. “Come on, I promise I’m not going to capsize the boat.” He paused for a moment as he shifted the boat long ways so he could help me into the boat. “Unless you want to that is. I wouldn’t be totally against it.”
I laughed again, attempting to hide the growing blush on my cheeks. My hand felt tiny in his as he helped me into the canoe. I tried to ignore the racing of my heart as he paddled out onto the lake. We talked while he got us into ‘the best seats’. We discussed our jobs, which colleges we graduated from, what we studied, family, and more. I even told him about all the towns I had visited. Not why I went, but he’s so easy to talk to that it just slipped out. The heat between us as we settled into our seats was undeniable, and my cheeks burned as we stared at each other for a moment until the fireworks started. I tried to ignore the growing attraction I felt for him, but I couldn’t. I don’t think he could either. No wonder he wouldn’t leave me alone. Maybe he felt it from the start, but I was so closed off that I couldn’t see it. Though being alone with him and replaying the subtle gestures, his teasing, and determination to be around me over the past month, I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I thought that would scare me, and it did slightly, but it also excited me. A new chance, a new life.
I fought the urge to reach for his hand throughout the fireworks show. He inched closer to me every chance he got, though the boat shook every time he moved. I pretended I didn’t notice, keeping my gaze locked on the colorful explosions above our heads. My chest tightened, fighting to keep my heart from pounding out of my chest while my body remained wrapped in fear and hope when his fingers brushed against my hand. A spark I hadn’t felt in years surged through me when his thumb grazed mine. It’s som
ething I can only describe as a new beginning. Even when the fireworks ended, the people around the lake started to scatter, and we made our way back to shore, the feeling didn’t leave me. It scared me to my core.
I tried to help paddle to shore, but we couldn’t get in sync. For a while, we had gone off course and in small circles. It had been a good laugh, but Gage eventually took over and got us to shore after the rest of the town had cleared out of the area. Glancing back to the middle of the lake, where two people had been setting off the fireworks from a floating dock in the center, I saw they had quickly abandoned their post. The sun had set, making it chilly near the lake, and Gage and I were alone.
“I meant to ask you earlier,” I said, interrupting the comfortable silence around us. “When we were talking before the fireworks, you mentioned your family. I don’t mean to intrude, but you didn’t seem happy. Is everything okay?” He seemed closed off when it came to his family. It didn’t sit right with me. I wanted nothing more than to be with my parents. I hadn’t seen them in years because it’s how I kept them safe, but he could see his whenever and it seemed as if he wanted nothing to do with them. I’d volunteer to trade places with him if he wanted to. Even if it meant having the mayor as my father.
“Yeah, I guess you could say everything is okay.” His voice tightened, already growing upset with the topic. He busied himself with pulling the canoe out of the water and putting it back where we found it. His body remained tense when he approached me, trying to play it off, as he led us toward the Riverwalk Bridge back home.
I waited, not wanting to push him, but I couldn’t anymore. I wanted to understand more than anything. “Why is it just okay?”
